Municipal elections filing opens July 5

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This November, residents in Pittsboro, Siler City and Goldston will have the chance to choose their representatives for their town boards. The filing period won’t begin until July 5, but each of the town’s mayors have made their intentions known. All municipal elections in Chatham County are non-partisan which means that candidates for office are not nominated through an affiliation with a political party and no political affiliations will be shown on the ballot next to a candidate.

Pittsboro

The Town of Pittsboro will see a majority of its board up for re-election. Mayor Cindy Perry announced on Facebook last week that she would not be seeking a third term. In her post, she noted that her time as mayor had been “amazing” and “full of learning.”

“I will treasure my memories of the two terms that I served, and I will stay interested, but less involved, in Town administration,” she said noting that she hoped her post would inspire someone to file to run for the position.

Perry believes her biggest accomplishments were a “greater awareness and progress toward water quality, especially the emerging unregulated chemicals.” She also spoke of the “little things like the benches on East Street sidewalk, helping to create a kinder and gentler Town Administration with the Town Board who are amazing individuals” and “helping to shepherd in new businesses.”

Her biggest regret from her term was “that the pace of progress on all these accomplishments and goals is so slow.”

“It takes a long time to get things done because democracy is deliberate and complex and sometimes a bit messy,” she said.

The seats of three Pittsboro commissioners — J.A. (Jay) Farrell, Bett Wilson Foley, and John Bonitz — will be decided in November. The terms for Mayor Pro-Tem Pamela Baldwin and Commissioner Michael Fiocco are up in 2021.

Siler City

Siler City will also see a majority of its board up for re-election. Mayor John Grimes told the News + Record that he intends to run for at least one more term. Grimes was first elected mayor in 2013, though he had been on the Siler City Board of Commissioners for more than a decade prior to that.

“I want to be here while Mountaire gets set up,” he said. “I know we’re on the cusp of economic growth and I want to make sure it reaches everyone. I want to make sure we headed toward economic growth that is also environmentally sound.”

Four seats on the Siler City Board of Commissioners will be decided in November. Mayor Pro-Tem Larry Cheek (District 2), Michael Constantino (District 3), Bill Haiges (District 4) and Thomas (Chip) Price, an at-large representative, will have an opportunity to seek re-election this fall. Commissioners Tony Siler, Lewis Fadely and Cindy Burke Bray have terms that end in 2021.

Goldston

Goldston residents will have the opportunity to vote for two different boards in November — Goldston’s Town Board and the Goldston-Gulf Sanitary District Board.

Mayor Tim Cunnup told the News + Record he intends to seek re-election for his ninth term in the role. Prior to that, he served as a commissioner for four years as well. Commissioners Steve Cunnup (Ward 2) and Charles Fields III (Ward 4) will also be up for re-election. The terms for Commissioners Wayne Woody, Lynn Gaines, and Jonathan Hensley end in 2021.

The Goldston-Gulf Sanitary District Board will have three of its five members up for re-election — Ricky Beal, Henry Kitchings, and Danny Scott. Board members Jane Owens and Adam Pickett have terms that end in 2021.

Candidates for all of these municipal elections can file for office from July 5 through July 19. Any registered voter who resides within the municipal boundaries is eligible to file to run for office. Filing fees range from $5 - $15 depending on the municipality and the office sought. The early voting period is Oct. 16 - Nov. 1. Election Day is November 5. For more information about filing for office, registering to vote, or voting in the upcoming election, visit the Chatham County Board of Elections website at www.chathamnc.org/government/departments-programs/board-of-elections or call the office at 919-545-8500.

Reporter Casey Mann can be reached at CaseyMann@Chathamnr.com.